Yelm’s Prairie Line Trail will soon have a safe and suitable design for its bridge portion of the project, phase 2B, as the Yelm City Council unanimously approved a professional services agreement with SCJ Alliance.
The contract for Prairie Line Trail Phase 2B is not to exceed the amount of $352,815.47 for the design of the upcoming project phase.
Public Works Director Cody Colt said at the Yelm City Council meeting, March 12, that the Prairie Line Trail Phase 2B portion covers design aspects for the Nisqually Trestle and a small stub out into Pierce County.
“This will get the pathway and trail over the bridge,” Colt said. “As you know, if you’ve been out there, the trail goes to about 20 feet before the bridge. This will connect that, will redesign the bridge to allow pedestrian traffic, so, putting in boards, walls and different viewing amenities on there, as well as the ability for horses to travel. There will be some extra enforcement for the horses.”
He said city officials asked for qualifications from multiple agencies. SCJ Alliance, Colt said, has experience working on the rest of the Prairie Line Trail, along with other bridge designs, which is why it was selected.
Previously, in June of 2023, the City of Yelm was awarded a $1,292,000 grant from the Washington state Recreation and Conservation Office, with a 20% match for design and construction aspects. The $323,000 has been budgeted for in the city’s municipal building fund, and the City will pay roughly $62,000 toward the design, Colt said following the meeting.
